The Glass Abyss

I have always enjoyed the Star Wars extended universe novels, be they the Legend set, or the newer relaunched series. The books allow us to explore the Skywalker saga in more depth, but for me the most fun is exploring the deeper cuts. I have read fantastic novels that have delved into the lives of the likes of Count Dooku or Doctor Aphra. There are excellent books that explore new planets, some even based on theme park rides like Black Spire. Star Wars: Mace Windu: The Glass Abyss is a novel that looks to both explore in more depth the mysterious Windu but does so while introducing a vibrant world to the reader. 

On the death of Qui-Gon Jinn, Mace Windu is sent one last message from his friend asking a request. Before his fateful meeting with Darth Maul, Jinn had visited an Outer Rim planet called Metagos to arrest a known assassin and mercenary. Trusting the local government, Jinn was betrayed and left for dead. Only the aid of an underground people kept Jinn alive. With his honour he promised to return to Metagos and rid the planet of its insidious criminal gangs. However, fate had other plans for the Jedi Knight and instead Windu must return in his place. 

Not being the biggest fan of the 90s Star Wars films, one of the highlights was the character of Mace Windu. This was a proper Star Wars character. Someone you met on celluloid who was charismatic, and you did not know too much about. There is a risk in delving deeper into the lore of a character, it can take away some of the magic that makes them special. I for one do not have quite as much respect for Boba Fett as I once did. Steven Barnes walks the tightrope between teaching more about Windu, without undermining how cool he is. It just about works, but a lot of what is cool in the book is not Mace, but instead, Metagos. 

For a one-off story, Barnes has created a fabulously realised world that has several layers. A planet that is struck with deadly radiation every few generations, forcing the planet side dwellers to go underground. This time, the under dwellers become dominated by criminal gangs. Here the layers become even more complex. There are rival gangs, but also beings that have lived under the dirt all their lives. Windu must find a way to balance the factions and achieve his goals working all sides off one another. 

The level of detail and intelligent world building is something I expect more from the Doctor Who novels and not Star Wars. The Lucas series tends to stick to tried and tested planets and lore. Barnes has been brave in the choice of Metagos and it really pays off, both in terms of making a twisting thriller of a story, but also giving Windu plenty to do. 

Windu is a cool character, but he is a little dry. There is little to no humour in the character, even for a Jedi Knight he is pokerfaced. With so much happening to Windu on the planet, he has no choice but to react. There is even plenty of time to explore a love interest, that may not be the most fun, but at least it adds depth to the character. 

Do I feel like I know more about Mace Windu after reading Glass Abyss? Certainly, it is told from his perspective and though we may not see many of his fears when he is awake, we are witness to his dreams that reveal the turmoil within. This is an action title with few moments of humour, but it does have some of the best world design in a Star Wars novel since the excellent Black Spire.